Tag Archives: John August

I have a few screenwriters that I really look up to. Brian Koppelman, John August (Big Fish is on my top ten list of all time favorite films), and Craig Mazin top the list. Not only because they’re GOOD at what they do and successful, but because they choose to give up their personal time to give back to the screenwriting community. All the time. To me, it’s a very cool thing to do and has been a great help.

One of the things that makes a good artist, no matter what discipline you choose, is the quest to learn more all the time about what you’re trying to do. These men constantly teach me new things that I USE. So to them, thank you.

Lately there have been a lot of discussions (actually, there have always been discussions) about the supposed “rules” a screenwriter has to obey or be banished from the business forever.

When I first started writing scripts I believed these “rules” because, well, they were everywhere. The most used term, “It’s not your job as a writer”, included a lot of what I WANTED to use in my scripts because it worked for the stories I was trying to write. I should have known better, too. I broke them ALL on my first script and I optioned it right out of the gate, before I could even write a second one. The only script I’ve ever optioned to a studio. (It never got made, but that was a HUGE learning experience for me, too)

Then I started listening to the so-called experts about what I couldn’t write instead of trusting what had worked already.

And being an egotistical jerk, because I’d “optioned” a script to a studio before I knew how any of this worked, I became one of those know nothing experts and I went on writing websites and dished out “advice” like I was King Shit. Am I embarrassed about that now? Yeah, you bet, but ego is a strange thing and sometimes you need to get some sense knocked into you before you figure things out.

I doled out the “You’ll get your script thrown in the trash if you do any of this” advice with reckless abandon without knowing what the hell I was talking about.

I think I know more now.  I’ve got some experience, a few produced films (and the never ending rewrites that go with them), some production meetings under my belt, but I’m also sure that there is more I don’t know than I do.

I HAVE learned that story is king. Without a great story that people want to see, you can follow all the rules in the book and never get anywhere. I have also learned that with great story, those “rules” can be easily ignored if it serves your story to do so.

Even then, last week on DoneDealPro there was a question from a new writer about putting opening credits in a script to which I answered:

It doesn't matter what you write or where you locate your opening credits. Do what you want. It's not the writer's job. If it’s sold, the director will put them where he/she wants anyway. Relax. If it works for you, leave it. Me? I never put any credits in because I realize it's not my job. But again, that's personal for each writer.

Just looking at that now makes me want to slap myself in the face. Not my job? Arrrggggggg!!  A jerk answer and a jerk move. Mister Ego showing his ugly head.

Then Craig Mazin, one of my heroes, when answering someone else who had written basically the same thing I did, stepped into the discussion and told the truth…

To quote Craig Mazin:

Choosing to not demarcate the credits is still a choice. Your style may be such that you almost always choose to not point out where the credits go, because you intend that they should be after the film.

For me, I make that choice based on the script.

It's very old school to think any of this stuff isn't our job. It reminds me a bit of the way editors used to work. When I started, the editor edited the picture. That was it. She sent it down the hall to the assistants to add temp SFX, temp score and temp VFX.

Modern editors will do all of that themselves. They think of it as their job.

I've talked about this idea on the podcast... the definition of the modern screenwriter has changed. Studios are always looking for the "screenwriter plus," the writer who not only writes but is involved in the shaping of the movie all the way through.

Modern directors seem to be far more interested in that kind of writer as well. The old military-style divisions of labor are falling away, and I think that's fantastic.

I responded to his post with:

Thank you.

What I should have said was:

Please keep knocking me down, because I learn so much when you do.

After he made me think about what I had written, I knew everything I posted wasn’t close to true, even about me. I've used opening credits in two of my original scripts as story devices and BOTH scripts have been optioned in the past. One is still optioned.

His whole post shook me awake. He described the experience I’m having now with the producers and the director on the feature I’m working on from my original script that shoots in May. (Announcement with cast coming soon, by the way) They are listening to my ideas, asking for my input, keeping me in the loop, and using some of those ideas to shape the film. Just like he said.

He took me to school and I needed it. I went back to the tried and true, “You’ll shoot your eye out” answer, while he with confidence, and truth I knew but didn’t even think to express, showed why he’s where he is right now and how much I still don’t know.

So to Craig: Thanks for the lesson. Please don’t stop.

And to John August and Brian Koppelman and other experienced seasoned writers who give their time and knowledge so we all can be better, air kisses, honest appreciation, and the request not to stop either.